Illuminating device for gun-sights.



No. 673,985. Patented May [4, MN.

E. H. HULLISTER. ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR GUN SIGHTS.

(Application filed Aug. 3, 1900.)

(No Model.)

m m M M E EDWIN H. HOLLISTER, OF WESTPOINT, NEBRASKA.

ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR GUN-SIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,985, dated May 14, 1901.

Application filed August 3, 1900- Serial No. 25,816- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, EDWIN H. HOLLISTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Westpoint, in the county of Ouming and State of Nebraska, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Firearms, and more par ticularly to Illuminating the Sights Thereof; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention pertains to firearms, and more particularly to the sights thereof, having for its object, among others, to provide an improved device for illuminating the sight.

Heretofore it has been proposed in a variety of ways to render the sight visible to the gunner at night; but such devices have been complicated and expensive, not reliable, and not applicable to any and all forms of ordnance. By my construction no altering of the gun is required, the appliance may be quickly applied or detached,and the rear and front sights can be both illuminated at the same time and this without danger of producing a dazzling or injurious effect upon the eyes of the gunner.

I provide a support for the various elements of the device, which support is readily applied to the gun and comprises two parts connected by a hinge-joint and so connected with the adj ustable rear sight that as the sight is adj usted the illuminating device therefor is simultaneously adjusted. The electric lamps are rendered adjustable on their support, and the wires are concealed and protected by the said support, which carries a switch so disposed as to be convenient to the hand that grasps the barrel in firing.

The parts composing the invention are compactly arranged, and in some instances I provide a shield for the lamp, so that the light therefrom may not be seen from the direction of the object being fired at.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be particularly defined by the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is an elevation of a firearm equipped with my improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of my attachment 'removed from the gun and a portion shown in section to better illustrate the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a diagram of the electric lamps and their connections. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in plan, showing a shield for the light.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in which they appear.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the gun-barrel, B the front sight, and O the rear sight, all of which may be of any of the well-known or approved forms of construction. The rear sight 0 is hinged in the usual manner, as indicated in Fig. 1, so that it may be adjusted to any desired position, as indicated by dotsights, and comprises the bar D, which is designed for quick and easy attachment to or removal from the gun. This bar is by preference of the form seen best in Figs. 2 and 3, having the rolled portion d, which is adapted to rest upon the top of the gun -stock, as seen in Fig. 3, while the depending portion of the said bar rests against the side of'the stock, as is also shown in the same view. This rolled po'rtion serves as a housing for the wires soon to be described and as will be seen upon reference to Figs. 2 and 3. This bar is clamped alongside the barrel in any suitable manneras, for instance, by the bands E, which may be retained in any suitable manner so long as they are capable of ready application and removal, so that the appliance may be speedily applied to or removed from the gun. Near each end this bar is provided with a socket or bearing F, in which are adj ustably mounted the arms G, each carrying an electric lamp H of known construction. Each of these lamps is inclosed within a case h, having a small hole through which the light therefrom is emitted. These cases h are adj ustably mounted on their hold-' ers and adapted to be held in their adjusted positions in any suitable manner, as by the thumb-screws shown. The arms G are likewise held in their vertical adjustment by any suitable means, as thumb-screws, as seen in Fig. 2.

I represents the wires concealed within the roll of the bar D and adapted to be connected with a battery, as indicated in the diagrammatic view, Fig. 4, and with the lamps in the usual manner. The arms G are hollow for the passage of the wires, as indicated in Fig. 2.

J is a switch disposed in substantially the position shown and designed to be used only when needed. It is convenient to the hand of the gunner grasping the gun-barrel, as shown. Its construction and mode of operation are so well understood as not to need description here.

The arm D is composed of two parts, as seen best in Fig. 2, the shorter portion D at the rear being hinged to the longer portion, as at d, and K is a spring bridging the joint and serving to return the parts to their normal position when the sight is returned to its lowermost position or when the book now to be described is disengaged from the adj ustable sight.

L is a hook pivoted on the shorter portion of the arm D, its hooked end being designed to engage over the adjustable rear sight, so that as the latter is adjusted the hinged portion of the bar will move therewith, so that ,the light from the lamp will always be projected at the same angle relatively to the said sight, as will be readily understood.

In order that the light from the lamp may be shielded and not discernible by the party at whom the gun is aimed, I provide a shield M, as seen in Fig. 5, which may be supported in any suitable manner-as, for instance, from the lamp-casing h or from its supporting-arm G; but this is immaterial.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, and a further detailed description thereof is not deemed necessary.

From the foregoing it will be seen that l have produceda novel, cheap, easily-applied, and efficient means for illuminating the sight of a gun; but while the structural embodiment thereof as herein disclosed is what I at this time believe to be preferable I do not wish to limit myself to such details of construction as are herein specified, but reserve the right to make such changes, variations, and modifications as come properly within the scope of the protection prayed.

What is claimed as new is 1. An illuminating attachment for gunsights,consisting of a detachable member having a hinged portion, electric lamps adj ustably carried thereby one near each end, and means whereby the lamps may be adjusted with relation to the sights.

2. An illuminating attachment for guns, comprising a member adapted to extend alongside a gun-barrel and provided with a movable section and with means for attachment, electric lamps carried by said member, and means for connecting one of said lamps to move with the adjustable sight.

3. An attachment of the character described comprising a bar with a hinged portion, an electric lamp carried thereby, and means for connecting the hinged portion to the adjustable sight of a gun.

4. In an attachment of the character described a supporting-bar having a rolled portion to receive the wires combined with sockets at opposite ends of said bar and arms adjustable in said sockets.

5. In an attachment of the character described, a supporting-bar in hinged sections and having a rolled portion for receiving the wires, sockets at opposite ends of said bar, arms adjustable in said sockets and pivoted cases on said arms.

6. The combination with the bar and the adjustable lamps carried thereby, of means for connecting one portion of the bar carrying one of the lamps to the adjustable sight of a gun so that it will move with said sight, and a shield carried by said bar and by the lamp-casing.

7. The herein-described gun-sight, comprising the combination with a bar having a hinged portion and means for attachment to a gun-barrel, and a spring bridging the joint, of means for connecting the hinged portion to the adjustable sight of a gun.

8. The attachment described, consisting of the bar with rolled edge and hinged portion, electric lamps at opposite ends of said bar, connecting-wires, a switch, a hook on the shorter portion of the bar, and a spring bridging the joint in the bar.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN H. HOLLISTER.

Witnesses:

T. O. BARRY, KARL H. BUTLER. 

